WRITTEN QUESTION E-0618/99

by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Fishing agreement with Iceland

With regard to the 1 000 tons UK quota of red fish and the fact that no factory trawlers are allowed, are UK ships able to head and gut fish they catch?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1999)

Under the Community-Iceland fisheries agreement, the United Kingdom enjoys a quota of 1 160 tons of redfish (out of a total Community quota of 3 000 tons). The agreement provides for "the issuing of a limited number of fishing permits to trawlers, other than factory trawlers", thereby in effect prohibiting Community fishing vessels from heading and gutting the catch at sea or engaging in other processing activities in Icelandic waters. This processing prohibition and the underlying insistence on catches of fresh fish was one of Iceland's essential requirements at the time of the conclusion of the fisheries agreement in 1993. Since 1997 factory vessels which have either removed or sealed all equipment necessary for the operation as a factory vessel may also be granted a fishing permit. This has not, however, removed the general processing prohibition which also covers heading and gutting.